


"Did we say knee to knee?"

by Maczka



Category: Last Shadow Puppets
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Friendship, M/M, soul mates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-07
Updated: 2016-06-14
Packaged: 2018-07-12 21:05:41
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 3,690
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7122553
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Maczka/pseuds/Maczka
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Q magazine brings up an old interview where they describe their writing process as sitting with acoustic guitars "knee to knee" and they break into whooping hysterics.<br/>"Did we say knee to knee!? Wow." marvels Kane.<br/>How do they write now?<br/>{together}: "Shoulder to shoulder."<br/>Turner: "Cheek to cheek."<br/>Kane: "Chin to chin."<br/>Turner: "Tongue to ear."</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. KNEE TO KNEE

"You look like you're about to snog each other." pointed out the press member interviewing them.  
There was just a second of hesitation and an amused exchange of glances between the boys before an answer.  
"It's rare... It's rare that we don't, look like that" said Alex somehow coyly as if not entirely sure if it's all right to say that. Maybe that was not something they discussed before, but it certainly was an inevitable truth and Miles felt that too, so he just nodded not wanting to deny that. Especially not in front of his friend. He couldn't let him think he was ashamed of their close friendship, because he wasn't. He was proud of it.

They have just recorded their first The Last Shadow Puppets' album and now they were in the middle of playing gigs around the country. Since the first time they met they became great mates, then Kane moved to London and they just became best friends attracting each other like different poles of magnet. For many people it was obvious they're gonna end up recording some music together. No one expected it to be that big though. The concerts, the interviews, them being inseparable. It all just felt right. Constant flow of creative and positive energy between them propelling them to achive amazing things. It was like a dream.

Nowadays Alex just couldn't see himself anywhere else than being with Miles Kane onstage. He couldn't think of the near and far future the way some of his friends were beginning to think. He couldn't as much as wrap his mind around having family or even a girlfriend anymore. He had been going out with birds before, but he's never really fallen in love. He was a rock'n'roll guy, he was getting girlfriends as a part of his image somehow. He felt like people expected him to go out with models and things like that. It was fun, but apparently not as fun anymore.  
Turner definitely saw his future making music. If not making music, then with Miles. If not with him, then making music anyway. He just couldn't imagine any other scenario and was starting to get scared that his friend may have different plans. Maybe not now, but in a couple of years?  
At first he couldn't pin point what changed in his mind exactly. He felt like he just started to open up to whatever really was deep in his subconsciousness. Like he was right on track with his life. Well, now he knows everything started to change since he's met Miles and became best friends with the lad. He was aware he got to like him just a bit too much now. He's never really pondered over being not straight. It was not an issue. It was just Miles Kane.

He tried to ask Miles discretely what are his plans for life, but the only answer he got was: "You know me, Al, I'm living for the music and music only. That won't ever change." he used to say that with a smile and a spark in his eyes.


	2. SHOULDER TO SHOULDER

The first big hit song of Arctic Monkeys "I Bet That You Look Good On The Dancefloor" was still talked about. Alex himself was nostalgic and excited about that tune. No one knew what it was inspired by, because he was always talking very vague about his inspirations. He used to say that he writes about all sorts of everyday situations. Not about anyone in particular and it was usually the truth. Not with this one though.  
He wrote it the next day after he had met Miles Kane for the first time. It was after some live show they played with the Monkeys. There was a party afterwards and some acquaintance said there are some guys from the band called The Rascals at the club and they should say 'hi', because they're gonna be supporting Arctic Monkeys on the next concert. So, they were introduced and drunk some vodka shots together.  
The guys were kind of nice, but only one of them seemed serious about making music and he couldn't shut up about it all night. It turned out he got a great taste in music and ended up talking to Al about all the bands they both loved (he was The Beatles fanboy too!) and some very vintage artists that Turner wasn't even aware existed. He checked some of them first thing in the morning. It was amazing. Like a whole new universe to him. It took him weeks to listen to all the music recommendations Miles provided. He showed him completely new artistic directions.  
That night they spent most of the party siting shoulder to shoulder at the bar drinking, shouting to each other through the loud music. More often than not some friend or the other was interrupting them, wanting to talk to Miles, trying to get him to dance. He had this outgoing and friendly aura around him that attracted people and encouraged girls to chat him up. So enthusiastic about everything - like an explosion. So cool and that quirky kind of cute when he finally hit the dacefloor and danced like there's no one there in the club. Alex, was not very shy, but comparing to Miles he really was timid and awkward taking glances at the Rascal boy from the bar. He wasn't sure, but he had an enduring impression he was being glanced at by him as well. Or maybe he was just imagining things. That was new for Alex. New and so incredibly exciting. Miles' smiles making him a little bit anxious. That was the moment when those lines came to his mind: 

"Stop making the eyes at me,  
I'll stop making the eyes at you.  
And what it is that surprises me  
it's that I don't really want you to"

And the rest of it was created under the vibe of that uncanny night. The riff he wrote for this song matching perfectly his elevated heart rate he experienced back then. Alex has never told anyone about the story behind that. He treasured it. Maybe someday he would tell Miles, but he wasn't sure. He would never admit that, but listening to it he often thought to himself: "This song is freakin' good!" And he knew most of the people agreed. At their shows he saw fans dancing to it and screaming lyrics with violent enthusiasm. It was like through that tune they were able to feel what he had felt that night when he first met Mr Miles Kane and his fuse was lit and he knew it might result in a bang...


	3. CHEEK TO CHEEK

He decided to start a solo career after they finished The Last Shadow Puppets' first project. Alex convinced him. He was always saying that Miles is amazing, one of a kind, rocking his mod style and doing wonders with his music. He was right. He did the first solo album his way not caring about the actual trends. Just put all of his love and excitement for music into it and NME called him "the new rock'n'roll revival". It was all thanks to Alex. He became a new man after meeting him. Al opened his mind to many things considering writing music and Kane was so inspired every time they were sat in some room together with guitars that it felt like a constant arousal. They could spend hours and days only the two of them, never getting bored and never getting tired of each other. The guys from Arctic Monkeys and himself got along very well too and back then they were teasing him about stealing Al from them or seducing him so he would leave them on his own. It was just a fond mocking, but Miles knew that in the back of his mind he would like that idea. Not breaking the band, but being able to record something with Turner, going onstage with him. He had never expected it will become reality in the near future, so he was over the moon when the company suggested they should go for it.  
Somehow it happened that they both broke up with their girlfriends then for some reason, and although Miles knew he shouldn't be so indifferent he honestly couldn't care less as they were on their way to France to finally record their first album together. He shared his thoughts about the breakup with Al.  
"Me too, actually." said Turner with melancholic smile dancing with an afternoon shadows from the train window on his face "I mean, it just didn't feel right. It never really feels just as right as this." he motioned with his hand between them.  
Kane opened his mouth wanting to ask what he had meant exactly by 'this', but decided against it. He kind of knew and wasn't entirely sure and it was thrilling. So, he just smiled instead holding Al's gaze just a bit longer than usually comfortable with people. It wasn't at all with him though. Turner grinned boyishly and looked out the window so the tension cooled down.  
Thinking about it now, eight years after, Miles still remembered small things like that. Memories from France still vivid in his mind. He loved to browse through them in his head. They got truly close during those two weeks. Nobody was there to watch them, so it just happened. They were riding bikes together in the countryside, they were putting a sunscreen on each other and were fooling around in the pool. It was the first time they started touching. Nothing like 'that', but definitely on the edge of being appropriate. Still a sort of touches that might be considered friendly. They sat pressed closely to each other. Played guitars sitting with knees bumping. Shared the mic while recording. Hugged when they felt like doing it. No excuses needed. They slept in the same bed almost every night at the end of they stay in Nantes. At the beginning it was because they got drunk and danced all night and passed out on Alex's bed. It was when Miles first admitted to himself he loved Alex in those close fitted jeans. He said it as a joke, but it really wasn't. It felt so good to sleep next to him. He hesitated to ask if Al wanted to share his bed again, but after the next night in separate beds Alex said they should make a cover of this amazing song 'Wondrous Place" with a blush on his cheeks. They recorded it in the evening and at night Miles just came to Al's room. They have been talking till they fell asleep and woke up embracing.  
Once they got so comfortable and affectionate with each other there was no going back. It started to show during live performances, interviews and so on. People started talking, but the boys weren't disconcerted by it. They played with it. Performing Rihanna's cover of 'S.O.S' without changing lyrics. Posing for photos together. Wearing matching outfits. It was just that - they were best friends. Soul mates to be precise.  
Just one time during that concert Kane and Arctic Monkeys played at Olympia in Paris a concern crossed Miles' head that maybe he got too close to crossing the line. He and Alex performed 'Standing Next To Me' a tale telling song itself and Kane got so excited he pressed his nose lovingly to Al's cheek almost yielding to the temptation to kiss it. No one noticed and Alex didn't back off, but Miles felt the sudden tension in his friend's shoulders.  
"Are you all right with what I did onstage?" asked Miles slightly insecure when they were alone in the dressing room afterwards. Alex smiled shyly at the memory of them performing together.  
"Mi, we are best freakin' friends. You don't have to tell me or ask about what we do onstage. It's the heat of the moment that I can sense." He blushed a bit again, but played it cool. He pursed his lips in an attempt to be funny and to add to his courage before admitting: "I was welcomingly surprised and disappointed at the same time that I didn't get to get that kiss on the cheek from you, Mr Kane." Miles couldn't help but burst into giggles bumping their shoulders. He even wanted to make it up to him and finally give him that peck, but the rest of the band had just entered the room and the moment was gone.


	4. CHIN TO CHIN

"Sometimes I wonder if 'this' will ever change." started Alex "Us being so close. I mean, if you will meet 'the right girl' and stuff like that." he smiled sadly. It was early morning and they were strolling through the park in London.  
"Even if I do... But she'll not be 'the right girl' if she won't understand that."  
"Understand what?" asked Alex eager to finally get to know what Miles really feels like about their relationship.  
"I always say, Al, I live for the music... And You are the person who ignites music in me. So, isn't it obvious to you that I couldn't possibly live a remotely happy life without you? And as much as I can get from you, I will take gladly." he stopped and turned towards his friend looking dead serious. "I even decided that if you won't ever want to be mine like for real. I will be forever just your best mate. It's just that I want to be with you every possible way and any possible way." - his hand on Alex' shoulder was trembling slightly. His gaze piercing him through. Heated and genuine. Alex stood there in awe. He couldn't contain himself. All of his wishful thinking, all of his pining turned out to be reciprocated. Not just a game. Is this for real or is he just daydreaming again? He closed his eyes, took a moment to take everything in. Then their eyes met again they intuitively leaned closer to each other, foreheads touching and it felt like heaven. Now even more so when they finally spoke up their minds.  
"Is that so for real, Miles?"  
"Totally." he grinned.  
"I hope you know that these feelings flow both ways. Right?"  
"Right. It's good... I mean." Miles did some unexplained gesture with his hand clearly failing to find words to express his happiness.  
"Are we good?" Alex was smiling equally as happily still gazing straight into his friend's eyes.  
"Better than that." they burst into giggles, hands clutching at each other's sides and jacket lapels not feeling like ever letting go.  
"Did you noticed that sometimes we speak lines from our songs to each other?"  
"Well, there must be a reason why they came to our minds in the first place, right?"

Turner craved for a change. He's been recording with the band in US for a couple of months and he liked it there, but he missed Kane terribly. He went with Arctic Monkeys for a tour, Miles was with them as a support musician and not only fans, but also Alex was over the moon. He mentioned wanting to move to Los Angeles a few times, but he wouldn't be able to feel like home there without his best friend.  
Everything was so much better with him by his side. Every time they performed 'Little Ilusion Machine" onstage and Miles was in his crazy rock'n'roll star mode, pointing his finger and a heated stare at Alex while singing "something beautiful" his heart was doing joyous flip-flops. They even got The Death Ramps rings and were showing them off everywhere. People were going nuts when Kane was joining them to perform "505".  
He's almost decided he will be moving back to UK to be able to meet with Miles whenever he wanted. He started to think about maybe doing a second TLSP's record finally. He wasn't expecting Miles to show up at his door in LA one day. They hugged and over his shoulder Alex saw Kane's Vespa parked outside.  
"Is this..? Did you??" He was speechless. Did Miles really came here to stay?  
"Well," Miles shrugged nonchalantly with a wicked smile "when you told me over the phone what you think about the song we were working on last time. "Aviation", that the line "the colorama in your eyes, it takes me on a moonlight drive" he sang "When you said it makes you think about us riding again as The Last Shadow Puppets. I thought I could use some California's sun and packed my stuff and you know. Here I am. I might have rented a house down the road here as well." Miles was grinning happily seeing Alex's sparkling eyes. Apparently his surprise was a hit.  
Soon after Kane moved to LA the TLSP's 'love revival' started.


	5. TONGUE TO EAR

"You know? Every time we share a girl I'm thinking about getting into your pants, really hard." Alex admitted with a little mischievousness in his voice. "When I'm alone with some woman I'm not. A girl's body turns me on, but with you there I just can't fully focus on her."  
"I would be lying if I said it's not the same for me." They were lounging on the sofa at Miles' place in LA, taking break from writing tunes. "Do you remember the first time we kissed? I really like this memory. Although it wasn't so long ago."  
"Of course I do." a dreamy smile appeared on Alex's face and he cuddled to his friend "It was during the first week since you've moved here. I was so happy to have you near. Being able to see you everyday. You were taking me for rides on your Vespa and sitting behind you I started to place little kisses on your neck. I don't know what the heck I was thinking."  
"You were a right tease. I have to say. But such a small caress from you felt so overwhelming in a totally amazing way that I couldn't stop thinking about it and the proper kiss seemed inevitable."  
"The tension was skyrocketing. I know. But that's one of my favourite things about us. The tension that is always there no matter how long we know each other."  
"The fact that we keep a lot of it only to ourselves makes it even more exciting."  
"We let it slip a little onstage though." smirked Turner.  
"Do you consider the face licking you started last time during that Tokyo gig 'a little'??" laughed Miles.  
"Okay, maybe I got carried away a bit. Things would be so simple if we were actually gay, you know?"  
"Well, yeah, but I'm so gay for you though." they laughed at ridiculousness of that statement "No, seriously. Were you thinking about how we actually work?"  
"Yeah, like all the time, but never came to any reasonable conclusion. It's..." Alex shook his head incredulously.  
"I mean. I came just watching you bang a girl. It's like emotionally and intellectually I'm so into you that my body can't help it."  
"Yeah..." Alex smiled happily and put his head down on Miles' lap. "I fuckin' feel you, mate." His smile grew wider. He could relate to what his friend has just said. How come he had never came to that conclusion himself?  
"Good. So, will you fuckin' stop giving me those 'I love you so much, but I'm scared it may not work out' stares? Did you think I won't notice?" his hand found it's way to Al's curls combing through them.  
"I'm sorry, I can't help being a little dramatic at times." he nuzzled his face into Miles belly. "But it's true. The 'I love you so much, but I'm scared' shit." There was a moment of comfortable silence. Just Miles playing with his hair.  
"Look at me Al," he pulled the locks gently in attempt to turn his face towards himself. Alex's cheeks were rosy and eyes glossy. He still blushed at situations like that. It was adorable. "How long do we know each other?" Alex made a thinking face. "It was a rhetorical question, you dork." Miles rolled his eyes fondly. "We know each other for SO long and this mutual feeling just got stronger. Do you feel like it could ever go away?"  
"Hell no! But that's why I sometimes worry..."  
"Well, that's why you shouldn't." Miles cut in. "We're on the same page here." he squeezed his shoulders reassuringly. "Even the bloody NME knows we are fuckin' star-crossed soulmates and nothing can ever come between us, right? They write this shit all the time. So, stop being a drama queen and take that fact like a man, will ya?" Alex burst into giggles. Miles fuckin' Kane never failed to make him laugh.  
"All right." Turner was still giddy. "I guess I'm happy with your confession, but..." he pursed his lips and got up "You have to seal it with a kiss."  
"You cheesy bastard!" Miles closed the distance between them kissing him with ardour.  
"Good afternoon, lovebirds." said Taylor walking in on them. "Sorry to interrupt, but I brought some food. Thought you may be hungry working from the morning."  
"That's all right. We were just having a break anyway. Making some love confessions since Al needs it more often than he cares to admit." He gave a nuzzle and a ruffle to Alex's disheveled head.  
"Hey! Stop ruffling my hair!"  
"Sorry, I just can't keep my hands off you." Miles grinned making his hair even more messy.  
"You're way too cute. You two." she smiled putting the bags on the coffee table and joining them on the sofa.  
"Next gigs are coming up soon." said Alex "Are you going on tour with us?"  
"No, I can't. I've got work." she smiled apologetically "What? Are you looking forward to getting rid of me?" Taylor looked at them amused and trying to look judgemental.  
"Of course not!" they answered in unison.  
"You bloody are!!" she laughed and they couldn't help but laugh too, because maybe they were looking forward to it just a tiny bit.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fan fiction ever. Please, feel free to correct my mistakes as English is not my first language. I'll be grateful. I'll welcome every opinion and advise regarding my writing.


End file.
